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North Wales Chronicle
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Use of force during arrest of Sex Education star ‘reasonable', watchdog finds
The actor, who plays Eugene in the Netflix series, said he was sprayed with an incapacitating liquid, thrown to the ground and kicked by officers when he was arrested in Fulham, west London, in September last year. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said an investigation found 'no indication that any officers acted in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or had committed a criminal offence'. The watchdog also did not uphold a complaint by Richards that he was treated in a discriminatory manner because he was black. IOPC director Amanda Rowe acknowledged the actor was an innocent bystander and that it 'would have been a frightening experience'. She went on: 'Mr Richards' complaint detailed his understandable belief that he was detained and arrested because he was black, although the suspects were white. 'We found that officers were responding to a fast-moving incident and – given the only description of the suspects was that one was wearing dark clothing and their location – it was reasonable that the officer who saw Mr Richards and detained him thought he was a suspect. 'The evidence indicated that the officers' use of force was reasonable in the circumstances they encountered and perceived and Mr Richards was de-arrested as soon officers confirmed he was not involved.' Richards said his arrest took place 'just yards from my front door' after he had finished performing in a production of Hairspray The Musical in the early hours of September 4 2024. The Metropolitan Police officers were pursuing a car flagged as wanted when the vehicle crashed and those inside ran off, the IOPC said. The only description given to the officers was that one suspect was in dark clothing. CCTV footage showed Richards walking along Fulham Palace Road, near to the collision, when one of the suspects ran past him, chased by an officer. Richards dropped his backpack and ran, the watchdog said. A lone officer then mistook Richards for one of the suspects, stopped the actor and withdrew his PAVA spray but did not discharge it, the IOPC said. Two more officers arrived and told Richards to get to the ground. There was a 'struggle' and one of the officers PAVA-sprayed Richards and he was handcuffed, the IOPC said. The actor told them he was innocent and his mother later arrived at the scene. Richards was de-arrested 14 minutes after he was stopped, the IOPC said. The actor said on Instagram after the incident that he was the victim of an 'unlawful arrest'. He added: 'I was confused, unable to understand why I was suddenly being treated like a criminal. 'Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, 'get to the floor or I'll pepper spray you'. 'Moments later, three more officers ran at me. They pepper sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me. 'In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground. 'I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs and stomach.' Met Police Commander Owain Richards said: 'We are pleased the IOPC was able to determine the officers acted in good faith and appropriately. 'This was a fast-moving incident during which they were trying to detain three men who had fled from police during a pursuit. Their use of force was reasonable in the circumstances. 'Mr Richards was swiftly de-arrested as soon as officers confirmed he was not a suspect, but we absolutely acknowledge how distressing it must have been to be caught up in such an incident. 'We would be happy to meet him to discuss what happened should he wish to do so.'
Leader Live
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Use of force during arrest of Sex Education star ‘reasonable', watchdog finds
The actor, who plays Eugene in the Netflix series, said he was sprayed with an incapacitating liquid, thrown to the ground and kicked by officers when he was arrested in Fulham, west London, in September last year. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said an investigation found 'no indication that any officers acted in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or had committed a criminal offence'. The watchdog also did not uphold a complaint by Richards that he was treated in a discriminatory manner because he was black. IOPC director Amanda Rowe acknowledged the actor was an innocent bystander and that it 'would have been a frightening experience'. She went on: 'Mr Richards' complaint detailed his understandable belief that he was detained and arrested because he was black, although the suspects were white. 'We found that officers were responding to a fast-moving incident and – given the only description of the suspects was that one was wearing dark clothing and their location – it was reasonable that the officer who saw Mr Richards and detained him thought he was a suspect. 'The evidence indicated that the officers' use of force was reasonable in the circumstances they encountered and perceived and Mr Richards was de-arrested as soon officers confirmed he was not involved.' Richards said his arrest took place 'just yards from my front door' after he had finished performing in a production of Hairspray The Musical in the early hours of September 4 2024. The Metropolitan Police officers were pursuing a car flagged as wanted when the vehicle crashed and those inside ran off, the IOPC said. The only description given to the officers was that one suspect was in dark clothing. CCTV footage showed Richards walking along Fulham Palace Road, near to the collision, when one of the suspects ran past him, chased by an officer. Richards dropped his backpack and ran, the watchdog said. A lone officer then mistook Richards for one of the suspects, stopped the actor and withdrew his PAVA spray but did not discharge it, the IOPC said. Two more officers arrived and told Richards to get to the ground. There was a 'struggle' and one of the officers PAVA-sprayed Richards and he was handcuffed, the IOPC said. The actor told them he was innocent and his mother later arrived at the scene. Richards was de-arrested 14 minutes after he was stopped, the IOPC said. The actor said on Instagram after the incident that he was the victim of an 'unlawful arrest'. He added: 'I was confused, unable to understand why I was suddenly being treated like a criminal. 'Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, 'get to the floor or I'll pepper spray you'. 'Moments later, three more officers ran at me. They pepper sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me. 'In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground. 'I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs and stomach.' Met Police Commander Owain Richards said: 'We are pleased the IOPC was able to determine the officers acted in good faith and appropriately. 'This was a fast-moving incident during which they were trying to detain three men who had fled from police during a pursuit. Their use of force was reasonable in the circumstances. 'Mr Richards was swiftly de-arrested as soon as officers confirmed he was not a suspect, but we absolutely acknowledge how distressing it must have been to be caught up in such an incident. 'We would be happy to meet him to discuss what happened should he wish to do so.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sex Education star's arrest was not because he was black, watchdog rules
The arrest of a Sex Education TV star was not because he was black, the police watchdog has found. Reece Richards, who plays Eugene in the Netflix series, said he was sprayed with an incapacitating liquid, thrown to the ground and kicked by officers when he was arrested in Fulham, west London, in September last year. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said an investigation found 'no indication that any officers acted in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or had committed a criminal offence'. The watchdog also did not uphold a complaint by Richards that he was treated in a discriminatory manner because he was black. Amanda Rowe, the IOPC director, acknowledged the actor was an innocent bystander and that it 'would have been a frightening experience'. She went on: 'Mr Richards' complaint detailed his understandable belief that he was detained and arrested because he was black, although the suspects were white. 'We found that officers were responding to a fast-moving incident and – given the only description of the suspects was that one was wearing dark clothing and their location – it was reasonable that the officer who saw Mr Richards and detained him thought he was a suspect. 'The evidence indicated that the officers' use of force was reasonable in the circumstances they encountered and perceived and Mr Richards was de-arrested as soon as officers confirmed he was not involved.' Richards said his arrest took place 'just yards from my front door' after he had finished performing in a production of Hairspray The Musical in the early hours of Sept 4 last year. Credit: Reece Richards/Instagram The Metropolitan Police officers were pursuing a car flagged as wanted when the vehicle crashed and those inside ran off, the IOPC said. The only description given to the officers was that one suspect was in dark clothing. CCTV footage showed Richards walking along Fulham Palace Road, near to the collision, when one of the suspects ran past him, chased by an officer. Richards dropped his backpack and ran, the watchdog said. An officer then mistook Richards for one of the suspects, stopped the actor and withdrew his Pava spray, a synthetic pepper spray, but did not discharge it, the IOPC said. Two more officers arrived and told Richards to get to the ground. There was a 'struggle' and one of the officers Pava-sprayed Richards and he was handcuffed, the IOPC said. The actor told them he was innocent and his mother later arrived at the scene. Richards was de-arrested 14 minutes after he was stopped, the IOPC said. The actor said on Instagram after the incident that he was the victim of an 'unlawful arrest'. He added: 'I was confused, unable to understand why I was suddenly being treated like a criminal. Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, 'get to the floor or I'll pepper spray you'. 'Moments later, three more officers ran at me. They pepper sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me. 'In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground. 'I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs and stomach.' Owain Richards, the Met Police Commander, said: 'We are pleased the IOPC was able to determine the officers acted in good faith and appropriately. 'This was a fast-moving incident during which they were trying to detain three men who had fled from police during a pursuit. Their use of force was reasonable in the circumstances. 'Mr Richards was swiftly de-arrested as soon as officers confirmed he was not a suspect, but we absolutely acknowledge how distressing it must have been to be caught up in such an incident. 'We would be happy to meet him to discuss what happened should he wish to do so.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Watchdog finds police use of force in arrest of Sex Education actor 'reasonable'
Reece Richards was mistakenly arrested by cops who mistook him for another individual they were in pursuit of According to an investigation by a police watchdog, police officers acted appropriately when they used force to arrest Sex Education actor Reece Richards during a chaotic early-morning pursuit in west London. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) concluded that while Richards was mistakenly identified as a suspect and later de-arrested, the officers' actions were "reasonable in the circumstances" and did not warrant disciplinary or criminal proceedings. The watchdog also rejected claims that Richards, who is black, was treated in a discriminatory manner during the arrest. Richards, known for playing Eugene in the hit Netflix series, had just finished a performance of Hairspray The Musical and was walking home in Fulham when the incident occurred in the early hours of September 4, 2024. In a now-deleted Instagram post that he uploaded shortly after the arrest, the actor described the harrowing encounter which took place just "yards from [his] front door". Richards alleged that he was pepper sprayed, kicked, and thrown to the ground by Metropolitan Police officers. However, CCTV reviewed by the IOPC provided more context. Officers had been pursuing a vehicle linked to a prior offence when it crashed near Fulham Palace Road. The suspects fled on foot, and the only description given at the time was that one man was wearing dark clothing. Footage showed Richards walking near the scene just as one of the suspects ran past him, with a police officer in pursuit. Richards reportedly dropped his backpack and ran, which led one of the officers to believe he was involved. A single officer stopped Richards and drew his PAVA spray, which is an incapacitant similar to pepper spray, but it was not used at that point. A struggle ensued when two more officers arrived, and one ultimately deployed the spray. Richards was restrained, handcuffed, and told to stay on the ground. The actor, who was not involved in the crime, was released 14 minutes later once officers confirmed his identity and realised he was innocent. His mother arrived at the scene shortly after. While telling his followers about the incident, Richards wrote that he was "confused" and "unable to understand why [he] was suddenly being treated like a criminal." He added: "Calmly, I explained that I was a performer returning from a show, but one officer yelled, 'get to the floor or I'll pepper spray you'. Moments later, three more officers ran at me. They pepper sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground and handcuffed me. "In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground. I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs and stomach." Regional Director at the IOPC Amanda Rowe said she understood how terrifying the situation must have been for Richards as an innocent bystander. She shared: "Mr Richards' complaint detailed his understandable belief that he was detained and arrested because he was black. We found that officers were responding to a fast-moving incident... and it was reasonable that the officer who saw Mr Richards and detained him thought he was a suspect." She added that officers de-arrested him as soon as it was clear he was not involved in the offence. Commander Owain Richards of the Met Police backed her up, saying the officers "acted in good faith" during a "fast-moving incident". He continued: "We absolutely acknowledge how distressing it must have been to be caught up in such an incident. We would be happy to meet him to discuss what happened, should he wish to do so." Richards has not commented on the watchdog's ruling.
Scottish Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Moment Sex Education star ‘pepper-sprayed & kicked by officers in mistaken arrest' – as cops cleared of wrongdoing
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TWO Met cops have been cleared of wrongdoing after a Sex Education star was allegedly pepper-sprayed and kicked by officers. Reece Richards claimed he was wrongfully arrested in front of his screaming mum after being mistaken for a suspect. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 This is the shocking moment actor Reece Richards was allegedly pepper-sprayed 4 Footage shows four cops on top of him in Fulham, West London 4 Reece played Eugene in Sex Education Credit: Netflix The actor, who plays Eugene in the hit Netflix show, also said he was sprayed with an incapacitating liquid, thrown to the ground and kicked. He said the incident made it "painfully clear that racial profiling remains a significant issue". The Independent Office For Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation into the arrest. It today confirmed the use of force by the officers involved was "reasonable in the circumstances". The watchdog also revealed no cops acted in a way that would justify disciplinary or criminal proceedings. Richards' race complaint was also not upheld by the IOPC. IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: 'I want to acknowledge the impact that this incident has had on Reece Richards. He was an innocent bystander and this would have been a frightening experience. 'Mr Richards' complaint detailed his understandable belief that he was detained and arrested because he was Black, although the suspects were White. "We found that officers were responding to a fast-moving incident and – given the only description of the suspects was that one was wearing dark clothing and their location – it was reasonable that the officer who saw Mr Richards and detained him thought he was a suspect. 'The evidence indicated that the officers' use of force was reasonable in the circumstances they encountered and perceived and Mr Richards was de-arrested as soon officers confirmed he was not involved.' Richards posted on his Instagram about the arrest in September as he left a performance of Hairspray The Musical in London. The actor said he had witnessed a car crash and two males fleeing the scene before police mistook him for being involved. He claimed he directed officers to the suspects but the cop instead said he was under arrest. In a video he shared on Instagram, the model appears to be told to "stay where you are" by an officer threatening him with pepper spray. Richards, who also played Kenneth in You, says he was then "kicked" and "handcuffed" with footage showing four cops on top of him. In the recording, the performer can be heard in distress and shouting in pain on the pavement as more officers attended. Richards wrote: "In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground. "I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs, and stomach. "I couldn't see anything, but I could hear my mum nearby, screaming and crying, begging them to let me go. "That feeling of helplessness will never leave me. "The whole experience was embarrassing, deeply upsetting, and exhausting." The Met Police said at the time officers had been pursuing three men, who ran from a car that crashed after failing to stop. They confirmed Richards was "de-arrested as it was established by officers at the scene that he was not involved". As Eugene in Netflix's huge hit Sex Education, Reece played the love interest of Vivienne "Viv" Odusanya, played by Chinenye Ezeudu. He has played West End roles as Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye in Motown: The Musical. He is also a professional dancer, amateur athlete and model and has appeared in commercials for JD Sports, Ted Baker and Not On The High Street.
